Venus Williams

Venus burst into women's tennis in the early '90s and sent fans home amazed by her speed and incredible strength. The pure talent she possesses has led her to four Grand Slam victories and a seat alongside sister Serena atop her sport, as the No. 2 female tennis player in the world.

Appeal

At 6'1", Venus Williams is a statuesque beauty with long, powerful legs. The sportswear she designs herself shows off these marvelous, shapely assets. She has made us gain a new love for the sport of tennis, as we watch her matches as much for the skill as for great shots of her in new, revealing outfits.

Every time we see Venus in those short skirts, we can't help but wish we were ball boys.

Success

As proof of her early greatness, Venus had an eight-figure endorsement deal with Reebok when she was only 15 years old, after having practiced on courts in the tough neighborhoods of Watts and Compton and winning her first pro game (she turned pro at age 14). Despite coach/father Richard Williams' efforts to ease the pressures of fame, attention could not be turned away from the young star sprouting up from the ghetto and fans were jumping on the Venus Williams bandwagon.

The white beads in her hair became one of her signature styles, and became even more popular after she became the first unseeded finalist at the U.S. Open since 1968. Although she lost to Martina Hingis, being in the finals was a sign of things to come.

The first of her now 28 tour titles came in Oklahoma City at the IGA Tennis Classic, a tournament in which she also took the doubles title next to another emerging star, her sister Serena. They played against each other at the 1999 Lipton Championships final, the first finals sister match-up. Venus beat Serena, and moved one step closer to a Grand Slam win.

Although slowed by tendonitis in her wrist and other hampering injuries, Venus' career exploded in 2000, winning both the U.S. Open and Wimbledon while standing atop the podium at the Sydney Olympics for both singles and doubles tennis. The following year, she repeated as champion at Flushing Meadows and in England, an amazing feat.

Despite dominating again and reaching three of the four Grand Slam finals in 2002, Serena was there to meet the challenge and beat her sister all three times. With a secure No. 2 spot behind her sister going into the 2003 season, Venus has revenge on her mind as the world watches what is becoming history in the making every time the Williams sisters face off.

Venus Williams Biography

After seeing how large the prize money was for tennis champions in comparison to the salary he was making, Richard Williams vowed to send his children on the path to success by learning the game. Two years later, in 1980, Venus Ebone Starr Williams was born in Lynwood, California. By the time she was four, Venus was brought to the two rundown public courts in Watts and Compton by her father, to hit cratefuls of tennis balls for hours on end.

It was immediately evident that Venus had more than just an interest in the game her father encouraged her to play -- she was incredible at it. In 1988, a young Pete Sampras and John McEnroe visited the child prodigy and hit some balls with her. Even at eight years old, Venus was confident, claiming she could have beaten McEnroe if the bounces had gone her way.

young and famous

Despite showing flashes of brilliance in track (posting a 5:29 mile at the early age of eight) and some regrets by her father after seeing the lengths many parents went to in order to further their children's careers, Venus kept up her tennis training. As she conquered her opponents in exhibition matches, The New York Times published an article about her, paving the way for a career full of fame.

When Venus was 12 years old, Richard Williams pulled her and her younger sister Serena, out of their respective junior circuits and moved them to Florida. There they attended Rick Macci's Tennis Academy, practicing six hours a day, six days a week, for four straight years. As their time at the academy ended, Venus turned pro and won her first match in Oakland at the age of fourteen.

a teen millionaire

After playing in only one pro tournament, the hyping up of Venus Williams continued as she signed a five-year, $12 million contract with Reebok in 1995. She made her first big splash on the Women's Tennis Association tour in 1997 after becoming the first unseeded finalist at the U.S. Open since 1968. Although she lost in straight sets to rival Martina Hingis, fans knew Venus would be in that familiar setting for many years to come.

Just before beating sister Serena in their first match against each other as pros in the second round of the 1998 Australian Open, Venus graduated from the exclusive Driftwood Academy, proving she has brains as well as brawn. Three months later, Williams scored her first title at the IGA Tennis Classic in Oklahoma City, and teamed up with Serena to win the doubles title there too -- the first for the unstoppable Williams sisters.

on a whole new high

Venus saw even more results of consistent hard work as her career matured, winning the competitive Lipton Championships in 1999 against her sister and the French Open title alongside her. There were some bumps in the road, however, as it was Serena who won the first of the family's Grand Slam championships, beating Hingis at the U.S. Open in 1999. Venus also suffered various injuries that sparked rumors of an impending retirement.

The naysayers were quieted after Venus returned from a five-month hiatus in 2000 and throttled Lindsay Davenport at Wimbledon to capture her first of the big titles. Amazingly, she followed this up with a singles and doubles gold medal sweep at the Olympics in Sydney, then simply destroyed the rest of the field in the U.S. Open for back-to-back championship wins (making history once again as the second player to win Wimbledon, the Olympics and the U.S. Open in the same year). These accomplishments motivated Sports Illustrated to award her with the title of "Sportswoman of the Year" in 2000.

a sweet repeat

2001 was practically a case of déjà vu, as Venus once again won in England and Flushing Meadows, New York. This time, she beat her sister Serena for the U.S. title in straight sets. Unfortunately for fans of Venus, Serena got her revenge three times over in 2002, as the younger Williams sister defeated her elder three consecutive times to capture the French Open, Wimbledon and the U.S. Open. Despite this competitive atmosphere, Venus always remains proud of her sister and more motivated than ever to maintain the stranglehold on the history-making number one and two rankings they occupy.

venus aims for the stars

With blockbuster endorsement deals from the likes of Reebok (her $40 million, five-year deal makes her the most highly endorsed female athlete ever), Wrigley and Sega (the latter two are with Serena), her own interior design company "V Star Interiors," an upcoming associate's degree in fashion design, and 28 career singles titles, Venus is no ordinary 22-year-old.

Her dominance on the court and vibrant personality make her a great role model as she makes history with equally impressive sister Serena. With revenge on her mind next season as she failed to taste big-time victory in 2002, we simply can't wait for the next Venus/Serena final.